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Description
A fringe ideology that grew in popularity after the Collapse, naturalism and its various branches is an ideology that believes that the growth of human industry (or, according to the most extreme branches, technology in general) is immoral and the primary reason for disharmony and misery throughout the galaxy. Naturalism started out as a moderate movement to raise environmental awareness in Germany. As it grew, it was adopted by many in the artistic world as an extension of the romanticist movement, and consequently adopted many romanticist ideas. Naturalism was radicalized when the failed students' revolution in the United States adopted many naturalist planks and many revolutionaries who were not captured by Imperial troops fled to Germany.

Naturalism was tolerated in Germany throughout most of the 21st century, with a naturalist party being the third strongest party in the Reichstag. However, as Germany became more and more autocratic, the naturalists were banned, along with any parties the Kaiser did not deem appropriate. Naturalism was forced underground, where it further radicalized and associated with various socialist and communist organizations. It was during this time that naturalism split: the “pure” naturalists rejected communism as another oppressive, technocratic ideology while the “left” naturalists accepted many socialist ideas. The differences were more pragmatic than ideological; pure naturalists and left naturalists were more defined by their alliance or opposition to communism than what those groups believe in. This rivalry was encouraged by the German political police.

Naturalism would not become a force until after the Collapse. Not only did the forces persecuting them disappear, but the Collapse itself was “proof” that naturalism was right: human industrialism and disregard for its nature has ultimately destroyed it. The survivalist aspects of naturalism helped many naturalist cells to stay relatively intact as the Collapse consumed the galaxy and were consequently flocked to as the only bastions of order in a chaotic galaxy. Naturalist groups grew to become the dominant force in the worlds most hard-hit by the Collapse, and are still a force to be dealt with. However, as their power grew, so did the fractures within their movement, and the naturalists took to fighting themselves as often as they fought the other powers of the galaxy. Consequently, multitudes of naturalist factions exist. Aside from the interstellar Naturalist Combines, a few others are dominant:

The Green Tribes - One of the most barbaric polities in the galaxy, the green tribes are a series of "tribes" spread throughout the Inner Sphere. While these tribes are diverse and independent, they are connected under the banner of Naturalism-Primitivism, the most technophobic and anti-science naturalist movement. Naturalism-Primitivism believes that technological development and the scientific understanding of nature run contrary to nature, for it must be appreciated and connected with on a spiritual and artistic level. Therefore, science and technology must be abolished, and the tribes do their best to do so. As they took over their areas, they demanded that all devices that cannot be produced by a pre-industrial society are “counter to nature” and destroyed them. Although this led to Naturalism-Primitivism losing in many worlds, they dominated in the hardest-hit planets as their ability to live off the land actually allowed them to persevere after the logistical demands of their opponents’ societies could no longer be met. Naturalism-Primitivism is also anarchistic, declaring that civilization above the tribal level is but another of mankind’s technologies. While this has not stopped power-hungry chieftains from attempting to control entire continents, it has prevented them from organizing. Consequently, the green tribes fight one another as commonly as they do others. Naturalism-Primitivism also calls for action and channeling all feelings, especially rage, so the green tribes are rarely peaceful or reasonable. The green tribes are always looking for a fight, and while they lack any sort of interplanetary power projection they are still a force that have to be dealt with throughout the Inner Sphere.

The Cult of the Ever-Living – The dominant naturalist ideology outside of the Inner Sphere and the most xenophilic, the Cult of the Ever-Living began life as the (illegal) Naturalist Party of the Soviet Union. These naturalists formed their own militias after the Collapse and fought vigorously against the technocrats. When the United Technocracies of Man was formed, the naturalists fled to the fringes of the galaxy to avoid their arch-nemeses. It was there that they found the myhrggoth, which “gifted” them with the phage: a necrotic virus that can “restore life” to dead creatures. While the myhrggoth were attempting to exterminate the human interlopers with their biological weapons, the naturalists saw this as a gift from the gods and took to worshiping the myhrggoth and believed the phage were the path to everlasting life. Realizing the usefulness of having a cult to play with, the myhrggoth took the Cult of the Ever-Living under their wing and used them for horrific biological experiments and for infiltrating human societies. The Cult of the Ever-Living has embraced the reanimation of corpses as part of the natural life cycle and sees the dead as but another resource to be used. They see Lazarus victims and trench beasts as angels and seek to spread them throughout the galaxy. The Cult, with the aid of their myhrggoth gods, have crafted and fielded horrific biological weapons in their eternal war against the United Technocracies.

Naturalist Social Republic of Gaia – Organized by German left naturalists after the Collapse, the Naturalist Social Republic of Gaia is the second most powerful naturalist organization, becoming a major power on the former Soviet world of Mendeleev III. The Gaians are the most organized of the naturalists and, ironically, supported and aligned with the United Technocracies. However, this alliance is not that alien as the Gaians are the most pro-technology, but also the most totalitarian, of the naturalists. The Gaians believe that technological development is not, in and of itself, evil, but that it must be controlled for the good of mankind’s harmonious relationship with nature. However, as time passed, the ideology evolved so that the concept of free will itself was targeted. Mankind must therefore shed free will and, in perfect harmony under a single mind, progress toward the future. The Gaians therefore put most of their efforts into bioengineering and social engineering, in an attempt to eradicate the evils of free will. While they have spend decades trying, the Gaians have not been successful, but they were successful in maintaining one of the most totalitarian societies in the galaxy. Gaian territory is completely walled off the bordering states and contact is limited with the United Technocracies and any opponents they may have to negotiate with. Gaia is an ostensibly self-sustaining society, but despite their advanced farming technology crop failures and starvation is still commonplace. Almost all aspects of life in Gaia is centralized and monitored, and even the food is laced with mind-numbing drugs in order to cut down on resistance. Dissidents are not executed, but lobotomized and integrated with tabulators to become mindless servants performing menial tasks for the state. Gaian genetic engineering technology is advanced, to the point of rivaling Conseil developments, and many genetically engineered soldiers have been sent to the front to terrorize Gaia’s foes. The Gaians are particularly hated in the Mendeleev system and most states there will only align with the Gaians if it is the only way to attain victory.

Description
A fringe ideology that grew in popularity after the Collapse, naturalism and its various branches is an ideology that believes that the growth of human industry (or, according to the most extreme branches, technology in general) is immoral and the primary reason for disharmony and misery throughout the galaxy. Naturalism started out as a moderate movement to raise environmental awareness in Germany. As it grew, it was adopted by many in the artistic world as an extension of the romanticist movement, and consequently adopted many romanticist ideas. Naturalism was radicalized when the failed students' revolution in the United States adopted many naturalist planks and many revolutionaries who were not captured by Imperial troops fled to Germany.

Naturalism was tolerated in Germany throughout most of the 21st century, with a naturalist party being the third strongest party in the Reichstag. However, as Germany became more and more autocratic, the naturalists were banned, along with any parties the Kaiser did not deem appropriate. Naturalism was forced underground, where it further radicalized and associated with various socialist and communist organizations. It was during this time that naturalism split: the “pure” naturalists rejected communism as another oppressive, technocratic ideology while the “left” naturalists accepted many socialist ideas. The differences were more pragmatic than ideological; pure naturalists and left naturalists were more defined by their alliance or opposition to communism than what those groups believe in. This rivalry was encouraged by the German political police.

Naturalism would not become a force until after the Collapse. Not only did the forces persecuting them disappear, but the Collapse itself was “proof” that naturalism was right: human industrialism and disregard for its nature has ultimately destroyed it. The survivalist aspects of naturalism helped many naturalist cells to stay relatively intact as the Collapse consumed the galaxy and were consequently flocked to as the only bastions of order in a chaotic galaxy. Naturalist groups grew to become the dominant force in the worlds most hard-hit by the Collapse, and are still a force to be dealt with. However, as their power grew, so did the fractures within their movement, and the naturalists took to fighting themselves as often as they fought the other powers of the galaxy. Consequently, multitudes of naturalist factions exist. Aside from the interstellar Naturalist Combines, a few others are dominant:

The Green Tribes - One of the most barbaric polities in the galaxy, the green tribes are a series of "tribes" spread throughout the Inner Sphere. While these tribes are diverse and independent, they are connected under the banner of Naturalism-Primitivism, the most technophobic and anti-science naturalist movement. Naturalism-Primitivism believes that technological development and the scientific understanding of nature run contrary to nature, for it must be appreciated and connected with on a spiritual and artistic level. Therefore, science and technology must be abolished, and the tribes do their best to do so. As they took over their areas, they demanded that all devices that cannot be produced by a pre-industrial society are “counter to nature” and destroyed them. Although this led to Naturalism-Primitivism losing in many worlds, they dominated in the hardest-hit planets as their ability to live off the land actually allowed them to persevere after the logistical demands of their opponents’ societies could no longer be met. Naturalism-Primitivism is also anarchistic, declaring that civilization above the tribal level is but another of mankind’s technologies. While this has not stopped power-hungry chieftains from attempting to control entire continents, it has prevented them from organizing. Consequently, the green tribes fight one another as commonly as they do others. Naturalism-Primitivism also calls for action and channeling all feelings, especially rage, so the green tribes are rarely peaceful or reasonable. The green tribes are always looking for a fight, and while they lack any sort of interplanetary power projection they are still a force that have to be dealt with throughout the Inner Sphere.

The Cult of the Ever-Living – The dominant naturalist ideology outside of the Inner Sphere and the most xenophilic, the Cult of the Ever-Living began life as the (illegal) Naturalist Party of the Soviet Union. These naturalists formed their own militias after the Collapse and fought vigorously against the technocrats. When the United Technocracies of Man was formed, the naturalists fled to the fringes of the galaxy to avoid their arch-nemeses. It was there that they found the myhrggoth, which “gifted” them with the phage: a necrotic virus that can “restore life” to dead creatures. While the myhrggoth were attempting to exterminate the human interlopers with their biological weapons, the naturalists saw this as a gift from the gods and took to worshiping the myhrggoth and believed the phage were the path to everlasting life. Realizing the usefulness of having a cult to play with, the myhrggoth took the Cult of the Ever-Living under their wing and used them for horrific biological experiments and for infiltrating human societies. The Cult of the Ever-Living has embraced the reanimation of corpses as part of the natural life cycle and sees the dead as but another resource to be used. They see Lazarus victims and trench beasts as angels and seek to spread them throughout the galaxy. The Cult, with the aid of their myhrggoth gods, have crafted and fielded horrific biological weapons in their eternal war against the United Technocracies.

Naturalist Social Republic of Gaia – Organized by German left naturalists after the Collapse, the Naturalist Social Republic of Gaia is the second most powerful naturalist organization, becoming a major power on the former Soviet world of Mendeleev III. The Gaians are the most organized of the naturalists and, ironically, supported and aligned with the United Technocracies. However, this alliance is not that alien as the Gaians are the most pro-technology, but also the most totalitarian, of the naturalists. The Gaians believe that technological development is not, in and of itself, evil, but that it must be controlled for the good of mankind’s harmonious relationship with nature. However, as time passed, the ideology evolved so that the concept of free will itself was targeted. Mankind must therefore shed free will and, in perfect harmony under a single mind, progress toward the future. The Gaians therefore put most of their efforts into bioengineering and social engineering, in an attempt to eradicate the evils of free will. While they have spend decades trying, the Gaians have not been successful, but they were successful in maintaining one of the most totalitarian societies in the galaxy. Gaian territory is completely walled off the bordering states and contact is limited with the United Technocracies and any opponents they may have to negotiate with. Gaia is an ostensibly self-sustaining society, but despite their advanced farming technology crop failures and starvation is still commonplace. Almost all aspects of life in Gaia is centralized and monitored, and even the food is laced with mind-numbing drugs in order to cut down on resistance. Dissidents are not executed, but lobotomized and integrated with tabulators to become mindless servants performing menial tasks for the state. Gaian genetic engineering technology is advanced, to the point of rivaling Conseil developments, and many genetically engineered soldiers have been sent to the front to terrorize Gaia’s foes. The Gaians are particularly hated in the Mendeleev system and most states there will only align with the Gaians if it is the only way to attain victory.